I didn’t expect this many exaggerated actions from Yune. Makes my last post look silly.

Then again I did mention before that anime has to be exaggerated for effect. It works, but I’m worried that Satelight will go overboard in the episodes to come.

Still, I miss low-key Yune already.

Culture shock finally sets in.

I don’t blame Yune for feeling let down.

Rice+Miso+Grilled Fish beats Bread+Cheese any day. Heck I could live on just Rice and Miso Soup alone. If I weren’t that lazy enough to make it every morning, that is.

This is what Ikoku does best: Yune’s discovery of new things, and her accompanying reactions.

It’s also really endearing how Yune forces herself to like cheese and coffee (or at least pretends to like it). More on this later.

This is probably the most screencaps I’ve ever put together in a post.

I did mention in the previous post that Ikoku is primarily about Yune and Claude forming a friendship, and these screencaps seem to contradict me. But what’s left rather understated (even considering Oscar’s ‘reveal’) is how accommodating Claude is.

He was going on an errand already, true, but he didn’t have to bring Yune along – it would have slowed him down considerably. It’s rather obvious that he’s warming to her, even if he doesn’t quite want to admit it yet.

It is quite the charming depiction.

There is one thing I have to concede: this Paris is very romanticized and glossed over, no thanks to the music and its general themes.

Nothing against the music (which is soothing and great to listen to and I’m definitely putting it on my iPod when I can), but I should have realised earlier that realism had to be shunted aside for the story to work.

I’m not going to go research this, but I’m pretty sure that 19th Century Paris wasn’t as lovely. And I’m willing to bet that the streets weren’t safe and the atmosphere so peaceful and dignified.

A fully realistic setting would have had Yune or Oscar getting mugged 10 minutes into the story, the Galerie Du Roy would have beggars and the sick lining the shops, and Yune’s innocence would have been crushed really, really quickly.

(If I’m wrong, do correct me.)

Recurring appearances imply secondary character for sure.

That said, I do appreciate the attempt at realism what with the boy rummaging through the trash, and I think he and Yune will eventually get to know each other.

Which is good and all, but I do realize that I want to preserve Yune’s innocence as long as possible.

Much as I want realism, I have to admit that I watch Ikoku because there’s too much realism in the real world.

I have no idea how Yune intended to eat the meat this way.

So until the inevitable loss of innocence through pain/loss/soul-crushing-event I’ll just try to enjoy Yune as much as I can.

Be it the joy she goes through at tasting something new and awesome…

… or the fizzling out of enthusiasm when Claude points out her faults.

It’s cute! In that D’aww-I-want-to-hug-her way.

HRNNGH

Back to why Yune forces herself to like stuff she’s not used to.

I was expecting the first reason – that she wants to be considerate towards her hosts.
I completely did not expect the second reason – that she wants to learn what her hosts like so that she’ll be able to prepare more food for them.

If there was a moment which I would have fallen for Yune, this would be it.